Guest Blogger: Lishele Wigand

Hey ya'll!
So today we have our *VERY first* guest blogger. I am super excited and thankful for this particular person for many reasons and couldn't think of a better mommy/friend/wifey/boss lady to kick off our first Cate + Ila mama feature. Lishele and I are high school friends turned mommy friends. Not only is she the sweetest and most beautiful person inside and out, but she is also freaking hilarious. Some vivid memories (among many) that stand out thinking back on Lishele is the day that she showed up to my house with homemade chicken noodle soup after she found out that I was sick. Or the time she dressed up in ketchup and mustard full-body costumes with her bff, Kimmy, while all of us other girls were in sexy costumes. I mean, seriously, she is the best. Anyways, we hope you enjoy reading her story, hearing about her pregnancy journey with baby number three, and her tips on how she keeps her relationship with her hubby strong + sexy.
Enjoy! xx, ILA

Ask your kids for forgiveness. You WILL mess up. A lot. You will lose your temper. You will hurt their feelings. But be humble and show them how to say sorry. ​

Name: Lishele Wigand
Brief Intro About Family: I married the love of my life, Sean, 7 1/2 years ago. I feel very blessed to be a stay at home mom. We have a 4 year-old boy, Braxson, and a 2 year-old girl, Brynn. We are expecting another baby in March.
Background: I'm a Christian. A writer, a food lover, an adventurer, a Christmas fanatic, a fun chaser, a girly girl, and a softy. I just started a blog, www.Lishous.com if you want to know more about me! 

This is your third pregnancy... Congrats! Can you tell us what your emotions are bringing a third kiddo into your family?
Well, this baby was a complete surprise for us. We have been told by 4 doctors we wouldn't be able to have kids, and look at us now-we can't stop having them! God had bigger plans! So shock would be my first emotion, then it turned into excitement! We always wanted a big family and the kids are both so excited which makes it even more fun. There's definitely a little nervousness, going back to diapers and sleepless nights sounds rough but I love so many things about having babies and raising kids. 

How has your third pregnancy been different than the others? What do you think is contributing to this?
The exhaustion! With the other two pregnancies I napped a lot more and now I'm chasing after a 2 and 4 year old so napping isn't an option. I have been able to eat healthier this time around. With both other kids, all I could stomach was meat and bread and cheese. If I ate a salad I would be puking all day! This time I'm a vegetarian! I can't even look at meat and if I eat it I get really sick, it's the total opposite. It amazes me how every pregnancy is so different. 

Can you share any fitness tips you undertake during your pregnancy?
Fitness tips, gosh, I just say listen to your body. Some days I am so up for a long walk or a workout, while other days I'm too tired to think about any physical activity. I haven't worked out much this pregnancy but I am active. I walk or bike the kids to the park, or play soccer with them, or do some sort of outdoor activity to stay semi-fit. But if I need to rest, my body usually tells me and I listen! I struggle with body image so I have spent my whole life working out and stressing out about my body. But, during pregnancy, I focus mostly on feeling peace and accepting where I am. If working out becomes something I'm stressing out about, I take a step back and give myself a break. I used to get all upset if I missed a workout or ate a bad meal, now I just try to give myself grace and enjoy this season. It's not always easy! 

Can you share any nutrition tips you are practicing during this pregnancy?
I have been a fruit lover! Here's some interesting facts: 2 cups of broccoli has about 6g protein, 1 medium watermelon has about 20g of protein! Who would have thought? I was worried about my protein intake since I was eating vegetarian but when I calculated it I was well over what I needed.
I always recommend food that has no ingredient labels! Whole food: fruits, veggies, beans, rice etc. If i eat this way most of the time, then I don't feel bad about some indulgences. If I crave a Taco Bell tostada, or ice cream, I get it! When I'm pregnant, my cravings are so strong-I will literally dream about a food until I have it, so I give in. I just practice portion control! I have a gluten allergy so a lot of things I crave, I can't eat, so I'll make a gf version. 

Do you take any special prenatal supplements? Or swear by any prenatal products (stretch mark creams, oils, morning sickness remedies, etc.)?
Nothing cured my morning sickness! Eating a ton of watermelon and ice pops helped temporarily though. I swear by drinking tons of water-it helps everything! I love the body pillow-I wouldn't get any sleep without it! My husband hates it because it takes up half our bed but I can't live without it when I'm pregnant! As for supplements, I was really constipated in the beginning so a magnesium and vitamin D supplement helped (sorry TMI!) I take rainbow light prenatal vitamins, they were the only ones that didn't make me feel sick. I eat a colorful diet and lots of greens which nourishes my body too. I'm obsessed with shakeology (vegan chocolate flavor). I drink that almost every day with bananas and pb and that feels like a treat but it has plenty of protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

Do you have a favorite/go-to meal or snack you love during pregnancy? Cravings?
Gluten free everything bagel with avocado, tomato, sprouts and lemon pepper on top. Oh yum. I love lemon pepper. 
Mexican food-particularly chips with refried beans and guacamole
Watermelon, oranges, apples, mangos...all fruit!
Chocolate shakeology shakes with pb and banana. Or with cherries and almond milk. 
Peanut butter and honey sandwiches on gf bread 
Taco Bell tostadas with extra beans and tons of sauce!
Flax 4 life brownie bites (these are heaven, you have to try them!) 
Gluten free pizookie from BJ's! 

What has been the most challenging part of your pregnancy?
PG answer-being tired and not getting to nap. I'm basically narcoleptic and pass out at 3pm but I'm forced to peel my eyes open and take care of my babes. 
X rated answer-I get really bad cramping after sex  it sucks so bad, but I deal with it. 

Can you tell us how you plan to deliver your third child (hospital, any tips, medication or natural)? How does this compare to the first two deliveries?
Hahahah I love this question because labor isn't something you can plan but it's such a sweet idea to think we can. I plan to pray the whole time, possibly get an epidural (still debating). I had an epidural with both kids and loved it, I had such easy labors and wonderful experiences but the natural birth does intrigue me a little. I'm not big on medication and I never take antibiotics or other meds. I'm really not big on pain though, so the epidural is an option for me. 
​
The only plan I have that I am adamant about is that they don't cut the umbilical cord right away. You can read about it, you want all that fresh blood to flow into the baby and wait for the cord to shrivel up before you cut it. It's called natures vaccine because it's soooo good for the baby to get all that pure blood. ​

Are you finding out the gender? And how do you plan to come up with the name?
It's a girl!!! We have a boy name Braxson and a girl named Brynn so we're trying to stay with the "B names." Oddly enough, Brook is one of our favorites. If we were having a boy I wanted to name him Beckham.
 
Do you have any general tips for mothers balancing two to three children?
Get them outside!!!! The days we stay inside, I lose my mind and find myself picking up messes and breaking up arguments all day. My kids are so much happier and easier when I keep them busy and outdoors. Walks, parks, playing ball, running around...anything outside. 

Can you tell us how you keep your relationship with your husband strong?
Date nights every week or two. We need to connect one on one, without the constant interruption of kids. Laughing and having fun together is a huge priority for us. 

Also, sex. And lots of it. It's sad to me when couples stop having sex after having kids. Sex is a way to connect and share your love with each other. If we've gone a few days without sex, I feel much less connected and I don't like that at all. There's so many things that make it harder to have sex: pregnancy nausea, exhaustion, crying babies, babies that don't sleep, headaches, busyness etc. But sex actually helps with all of these! It can relieve headaches, and nausea. It slows us down from our busy schedules to enjoy our spouse. It can help us sleep deeper and get great rest. Ok, it doesn't help with the crying baby...shoot, just turn the monitor off! 

What do you think is the foundation of being a "great mother"?
Love and attention. Putting down your phone to play, stopping a workout early because they need you, getting on their level to play, listening when they are trying to tell you something. The way you interact with your kids teaches them how to love. Giving them attention and respecting them shows them they are important to you and gives them a sense of confidence and belonging. 

Any other takeaways for our readers?
Ask your kids for forgiveness. You WILL mess up. A lot. You will lose your temper. You will hurt their feelings. But be humble and show them how to say sorry. ​